<ul><li>The European Space Agency (ESA) has launched the European Launcher Challenge to inject competition into the European launch market.</li><li>The near-term plan is for ESA to select companies for service contracts to transport payloads to orbit from 2026 through 2030.</li><li>The challenge is open to any European company working in the launch business.</li><li>The aim is to foster a dynamic multiplayer industry, similar to the United States.</li></ul>

ESA finally has a commercial launch strategy, but will member states pay?

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